


Into the Darkness

by KingGh0st92



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Phasers, Venatori
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 11:51:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6050584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingGh0st92/pseuds/KingGh0st92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry about the shortness, horrible tone and little to no story development. Chapter 3 coming in several hours</p></blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Godric Trevelyan was a human noble Phaser warrior born in the Tevinter Imperium. He was given to the Ostwick Chantry at the age of 6. He originally trained to become a Templar and use his position to help mages... until his powers manifested.

Phasers are not mages, despite their abilities having striking similarities to Mage powers. They have the ability to 'phase' their physical form to near non-existence, making it almost impossible to kill them. The only information known about Phasers in the Dragon Age comes from Ancient Tevinter and Elven legends that are several thousand years old. It is unclear from whence they originally came, but they appear to predate the creation of the Veil separating the Waking World from the World of Dreams... which is believed to have happened some 8,000 years ago. 

The legends state that the Phasers of Old were warrior children of ancient elves and pre-Tevinter mages, who later would become known as the Altus Dreamer mages in time. They were said to have hunted the Old Gods, and ancient elven rumors speak of phantom like warriors aiding the Dread Wolf Fen'Harel in his rebellion against the elven Gods. According to legend, the last known Phaser was brutally murdered close to three thousand years ago by an unknown assailant. 

Godric was returning to his outpost from Ostwick, where he had been observing the hostility between Mages and Templars. After witnessing the 7th failed Right of Annulment in 2 weeks, he had concluded that the hostilities would not stop until someone took action against the warring groups. Pulling his hood off and exposing his untidy black hair and beard, he pushed open the door to his superior's headquarters and walked in, closing the door behind himself. 

He walked through the main hallway, then though a door on his right side. He descended the stairs and took the left turn down another hallway. At the end of this hallway was a black door, which lead to his superior's office. He stopped for a second, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before opening the door and walking in. 

"Ah, Godric. You return," said his superior, and she motioned to a chair that sat across the table from her. "Please, have a seat."

"I will stand," he said curtly, taking off his coat and throwing it on the back of the chair she motioned to. "I will, however, use the back of that chair as a coat hanger."

She let out an amused giggle. "Such a smart ass."

"You know you like it," Godric said, lowering his head and adjusting his gloves. 

"That I do," she said playfully, and the left corner of Godric's mouth jerked up, creating a lopsided smirk. "But I am afraid we will have to save the... revelry... for later, Godric." 

"'Revelry?'" Godric repeated, laughing at the ridiculousness of what she said. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

"I sent you to two places about a month ago to gather information about the state of the South," his superior continued, ignoring his last comment. "Did you uncover anything while you were there?"

"Yes," Godric said, looking at the floor. "And it is... not good."

"I can see that," she said. "Summarize it for me."

"The fighting between the mages and Templars is far worse than we originally thought," Godric said. "And it's not getting better. Village upon village has been destroyed. The people who have been lucky enough to escape the war never manage to get far away before it catches up to them. Also, it appears that even Divine Justinia is sick of the fighting; she's holding a council of sorts to put an end to the war in two weeks. And then, there's..." Godric choked on his words. He sat down in the chair opposite his superior and took a deep breath. "Then there's Ostwick. During the two weeks I was there observing the fighting, the Templars performed the Right of Annulment seven times. Every attempt was a fail. The mages held their ground each time, and the Templars would be defeated before they got past the second floor."

"I see," she said with a sigh, walking around the desk and standing in front of Godric. "It sounds horrible."

"Yeah," Godric replied, still looking at the ground. 

"Focus, Godric." She said. "We can not afford to be distracted from our purpose now."

Godric stood up. "I need to-" he was cut off, however, when the thin woman in front of him pulled him into a kiss. Remembering what he had really come to meet her for, he put his hand on her chest and forced her off him. 

"What the hell is your problem?!"

"I didn't come here for you to fuck with my head," Godric said, clenching his fist. "I came for answers."

"'Answers'?" she said, looking flustered. "You haven't haven't even asked any questions!"

"I was about to before you..." Godric looked down at the floor, trying to figure out how to phrase the question in a civilized manner. "I'm tired of you keeping secrets from me."

"Excuse me?"

"That Templar asshole, what was his name? Samson?" Godric asked, and his superior nodded. "Is he corrupting the Andrastian Templars?"

"I highly doubt it." she replied angrily. "In order for Samson to get the required materials, he would have to go through a certain channel. A channel that I have unrestricted access to." 

"And this channel... Would it by any chance be the same 'Elder One' bullshit that the Templars who tried to kill me on my way back were raving about?"

"Here we go..." his superior mumbled.

"Don't give me that. I've been your second in command for almost 2 years now," Godric said. "I think I at least deserve to know who created this fucking organization in the first place! Either you explain what this 'Elder One' is right now, or I walk out that door."

"Listen," she said, grabbing his hands in hers. "I promise you, I will explain everything. But not now. We have one last operation to complete, a glory mission that will shatter the very foundation of civilization. No more slaves, no more cruelty. No more corruption or oppression. Together, we will become the rulers of the most powerful nation to grace this planet in history. All I need is your support, and everything will work out. The Venatori will prevail and you will be rewarded. This, I promise you."

"You... promise?" Godric asked hazily, and she nodded. He let out a sigh and remained quiet for several seconds. "Okay. When will we start this mission?" 

"In due time, Amatus." she said. "In due time." 

Godric smiled as he looked into her eyes. Returning the smile, his superior reached up and pulled him into another kiss.

"Ready yourself, Godric," she said, walking over to the door and pushing it open before turning her head around. "We set out for the Conclave in one week."

Godric watched as Calpernia walked out of the door. Several seconds later, he walked out behind her.


	2. The Last Shaman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the shortness, horrible tone and little to no story development. Chapter 3 coming in several hours

__It was dark. Godric couldn't tell where he was, nor what he was doing there. All he knew was that he was walking through pure, impenetrable darkness.

Something was wrong. He didn't know how he knew, only that he knew.

And then the scene changed.

Mere seconds ago, he was shrouded in complete darkness, and now he could actually see his surroundings.

He was standing in the middle of what appeared to be a desert. Seven large rock formations the size of Fort Drakon were poking out of the ground; six of them were positioned around a much larger one, in an almost hexagonal shape... He had heard of this before... It was an ancient ritual, designed to give the original phasers the powers which now plagued him like a curse.

Godric had neither seen nor invoked this ancient power in his life, but he knew the legends: before gaining their legendary powers from the Creator, phasers would still themselves in a desert, and erect a monstrous stone pillar from the stone beneath the ground. They would use knives forged of pure magic to carve a mysterious symbol on the stone. They would then invoke the name of their progenitor, which was lost with their ancient kingdom, and it was said that the deity would appear and bestow them with their powers. Was this an initiation? What was this?

As he drew closer to the center structure, he began to feel an evil presence around him. He wanted to leave, but he couldn't change his course. As he reached the stone, he pulled out a demonic looking dagger. And plunged it into his chest.

Pulling the blood soaked dagger from his pectorals, he began to mutilate a symbol into his forearm. Why was he doing this?

Once he had carved the symbol into his skin, he placed a withered hand over the symbol and begun to imbue it with power from the dagger before plunging the blade into his throat. He began to let evil energy surge from his body, trying to corrupt the land that had been promised to him from across the ancient barrier.

This was insane! No, fuck that, he wouldn't be possessed by some evil demon and used as a blood sacrifice! Fuck that!

He focused all of his inner power into his core and harnessed it against the will of this demon... and unleashed his power.

Unexplainably, Godric knew it worked because he fell backwards on the ground and was able to jump to his feet... and let out a horrified scream at what he saw.

Standing in front of him was an ancient being of darkness. This thing was clearly several thousand years old, judging by the wrinkles in its tainted skin, and he felt nothing but darkness emanating from it. The thing's ears were twisted and clearly tainted with corruption, but he could tell the creature used to be an elf. It was glaring at him as if it had accomplished a long awaited goal that it had been working towards for thousands of years.

"And now you are here," the thing said in a very deep drawl. Even its voice was evil. "Not physically, perhaps, but you are here."

"What the fuck is this?" Godric screamed at the monster. "What are you?!?!"

"This? This is your future, Godric. Your future, my present. The fate destined for all who possess our unique powers. Chaos and corruption, darkness and death, cursed by our Maker to wander these lands in an eternity of suffering and sacrifice. As for me, I have had many names, but you can just call me The Ancient One. I am here for your physical form! To wield my powers once again!! GIVE IT TO ME!!!!"

The Ancient One plunged a hand into Godric's chest, setting his insides aflame with its corruption. Godric didn't know who he was anymore, all he knew was pain; the fire ravaging his chest was who he was now. And his screaming wouldn't help. He wanted to die, it was too much, make it stop, please make it stop—

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"

"Godric!!" cried a female voice. "What's wrong?"

But Godric could only focus on the intensifying pain ravaging his body. He couldn't stop screaming.

_"Ah sano sa nee sah ma mo rensas senamus!"_

A wave of magical energy flowed over Godric, and suddenly he fell back into a bed. He no longer felt that evil, deathly pain inside him.

"Godric?" Said the female voice again. Covering his face with his hand, Godric sat up, giving his eyes several seconds to adjust to the light before uncovering them.

Calpernia was sitting beside him in the bed. She had her hand on his chest, the white cover draped around her bare figure. Standing several feet away was a man he never seen before, but he had the feeling that he knew this man.

"I'm fine," he said wearily, looking around the room. "Just a dream."

"That was no dream, boy," said the man.

"And who are you supposed to be?"

"My name is unimportant," the man said. He looked... troubled for some reason. "What did you see?"

"Nothing, I—" Godric said. The man cut him off by grabbing his hands. Now he was reliving every moment of that dreadful dream as the man used some sort of magic to comb his mind in search of answers.

And when the monster appeared, the image held until the man let him go. He had a scared look on his face.

"Shaman...," Calpernia said. "Hey! What is wrong with you?"

The man remained still and silent for several seconds before walking over to the window.

"We are all in grave danger," said the man after what felt like forever. He looked back at Godric. "Especially you."

"What do you mean?" Godric asked.

"I must go," the man said. "Calpernia, you had plans to see the Conclave, did you not?"

"Yes, we are leaving in three days."

"Change of plans," the man said. "You will be leaving now. Gather your entire organization, and go to Ferelden."

"Excuse me?"

"I did not stutter," the man replied to her. "If you do not leave now... You will all die."

"Shaman, I–"

"Near the Frostback Mountains, there is a place called Haven. 10 miles north-northwest of the village is an abandoned fort. You will take Godric- and your organization- there. You will proceed with your plans and remain in the fort until I say otherwise. Do you understand?"

"I-" Calpernia looked as if she wanted to argue, but apparently decided against it and hung her head. "Yes."

"Go. Now."

Without another word, Godric and Calpernia dressed themselves and departed. The man looked out of the window before gazing at his hand. The same hand he had sacrificed thousands of years ago to seal that monster away.

"It is time for war, once more," said The Last Shaman.

....

"Who was that man, Calpernia?" Godric called to Calpernia over the howling blizzard winds. They were making their way to the Tevinter border.

"He's an old Shaman," she replied loudly. "He has studied ancient magic from the time of Arlathan. The incantation he used to save your life was a spell of that magic."

"He sounded as if the world was going to end. And I'm sure he knew about this fucking blizzard, too!" Godric stopped walking. "Why did we have to leave in the middle of a death storm?!"

"I don't know" Calpernia stopped walking too, and was now standing beside him. "From what I know of him, however, he has a reason for everything he does." She started walking again. "Come on, the Deep Roads entrance we can use to get to the Fort is just ahead, we can talk when we're out of this blizzard!"

Godric started walking after her, leaving the soldiers behind.

It felt like hours before they came upon the entrance. Calpernia lowered her hood as Godric came to stand at her side.

"Hey!" Godric said once they were inside, grabbing her hand.

As Calpernia turned around to question him, he thrust himself onto her, pulling her into an embrace and locking their lips together. Apparently, the desire was mutual, as she pulled him close and they staggered backwards into the wall, their arms and lips still entwined.

After what felt like forever, Godric pulled away and disentangled himself from her.

"You would become lustful in the middle of a damn darkspawn infested cave," she said playfully. "What did you see?"

Godric pulled her hands into his, smiling as he looked her face over. He looked over his shoulder at the Venatori behind him, and then pulled Calpernia's lips to join his once more, but briefly this time. He looked away and back to her again.

"Come on, I'll tell you," he said. They turned and started to lead the Venatori into the Deep Roads, always having at least one of their hands locked together.

......

Inside of a crypt thousands of miles away from them, an elven girl awoke from a deep sleep. She had felt the evil energy stirring on the other side of the veil, just as she was sure that the Shaman had. It appeared to put her into a seizure-like trance. After several minutes of pained writhing, she gripped the magical artifact she held to her chest tightly and let out a deep breath, relaxing back onto the stone slab she had been sleeping on minutes before.

"So," she said hoarsely, uttering her first word in many, many years. "It has begun." She closed her eyes, knowing the words were true.

They are going to return. And very soon.


	3. The Conclave

The ancient door to the Elven priestess' fortress creeped open and a cloaked, hooded figure walked in. The priestess was standing in front of a table across the hall. On the table was a map, a book of spells and a crystal ball, which was clouded with what looked like black clouds. Sensing an intrusion, she closes her eyes and reaches for a dagger.

The hooded figure walks up behind the priestess and raises a hand to put on her shoulder-

Using a countermovement, the Elven Priestess overpowered the figure and slammed it on the table, putting her dagger to it's neck.

"You have one chance to tell me who you are," she said. "Or I will kill you."

The hooded figure let out a chuckle.

"Excellent work," the figure complimented her. "It is comforting to see that being suspended in never ending sleep for 1000 years hasn't rusted your abilities, Azura."

Azura pressed him into the table. "Last chance. Tell me who you are."

"I'sa ma ruyo resmat, gonyu noe," the hooded figure said.

I am your master, young one...

How is it that this being could speak The Tongue? And could it really be her master?

"Orvep ti," she challenged. She let the figure stand, ready to strike it tried to attack her.

The man pulled off his hood, revealing white blond hair and beard with blue eyes and Ancient Tattoos branded into his skin.

It really was her master. She dropped the dagger she held and to her knees before him.

"Please, forgive me, master" she pleaded with him. He frowned at her.

"Hey, stand up," he scolded her, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet. "There will be none of that crap here."

"But-"

"No buts," said the Shaman, pointing in a finger in her face. "As of right now, you and I are the only two 'official members' of our entire order that have survived to to this day. I believe the others are dead, as you have been asleep for a millennium and Due to this, I may have superior rank, but we will treat each other as equals. Is that understood?"

Azura swallowed, then nodded her head in agreement.

"Good," the Shaman said. He turned to look at the table. "I see you've got your tools out again."

Azura walked to side, eying the artifacts extreme disgust. "It's boring work, just like it always was."

"Have you uncovered any useful information?"

"Nothing that you couldn't figure out with a single thought," said Azura. "The black mist that is covering my Seer Orb, the evil energy that woke me from my sleep... the signs are difficult to interpret correctly and accurately, as they always were, but everything points back to a single origin-"

"The First," said the Shaman.

"Oh yes, that's right, Shaman nigh-omniscience. I forgot. Sorry."

"The First has been searching for a way to escape from it's prison and enter the real world." the Shaman informed her. "He attacked a human phaser in Tevinter, and the only thing that saved him was my magic. Without it, he would be dead."

"A phaser?!," she said. "It can't be, the phasers have been extinct for almost seven thousand years- it was you who cast the last, and most powerful, member of their order into a different dimension."

"A single phaser returning to the world as a protector and enforcer in the face of apocalypse is not particularly unheard of by our kind: the prophecy," he turned his head to look for a book. "Where is it?"

Azura ran over to the big stone, followed closely by the Shaman.

"Yes! This is it!"

"Beautiful craftsmanship, but it just has one drawback: we can't read it."

"Azura, that is because only Shaman magic can make these readable." he walked over to the stone and began chanting an incarnation that even Azura had never heard before. He wasn't done casting the spell for what felt like an hour.

"A whole hour and I still can't read it," Azura said furiously, after opening all regular doors. "Are you sure that you are not starting to rust around the edges in your old age?"

"I am quite sure," he replied. "The Portraits were created and marked by the Ancient Shaman and the Ancient Seers informed us of the events: Fall of the Mightiest Empire; The Second Sin; New Times; A Revered General's Betrayal; An Ancient Order Returns from Exil and the Sky is Torn."

"What About this?" She pointed to first of two texts.

"Occurance of all previously stated events," the Shaman recited. "Will result in the temporary destruction of every temporal current."

"I'd be happy if you could translate that into words that a simple elven Mage like myself could understand."

"Basically, once the events foretold of here take place in the Walking Word, time will be both sub- and unconsciously meaningless. Meaning that a spell with remaining 2000 years before years remaining until its expiration will believe that time is now." Azura put one hand over face and let out a sigh heavy with depression. 

"I'm sure I don't want to find out what the last says," Azura said to her mentor. "But tell me the bad news."

The Ancient One shall return.

As Azura felt magical energies take hold of her consciousness, and she seen The Ancient One steped out of a shadow and let out a grueling, animalistic scream.

******

With the Deep Roads maps acquired from Calpernia's Shaman friend, it had taken the two weeks to reach to the fort. They had arrived to find it abandoned and overrun with countless spiders and their webs. After the killed all of the spiders, Calpernia used her fire magic to make sure the place was cleansed from to to bottom. After she was done, Godric handset up an armory, training grounds for the soldiers, a library for the mages to study, barracks for the soldiers and a private quarters for him and Calpernia. This was around three days ago.

Godric looked at the squirming woman beside him in the bed, a smile creeping across his face.

Calpernia stuck her head out from under the makeshift cover he made and Godric looked over at her.

"Godric," she moaned, kissing him several times in quick succession. "Is that all you got?"

"Woman, we've been going at it for what, six hours now?"

"Hmmm," Calpernia mumbled, deep in thought. She laid down on her back as well and put her left hand on his heart, listening to it beat. "At the least... though I think it's been more like seven, but it may actually be closer to eight by now."

"And you still want to keep going?"

"Hell, yes, Godric," she said, kissing the side of his neck. "Hell, yes."

"Hell, no, woman!" Godric said, exasperated. "I need a damn break."

"Now that you mention breaks," she said. "I actually think I could use one right about now."

"Good! See?" he said. "Now you're talking sense! You can do that more often, right? Please tell me you can do that more often..."

"Well, that depends," she teased him, playing in his hair. "Are you ever going to get possessed by a demon, turn into an abomination and ravage me to death during one of our little late night liaisons?"

"No," he said in a monotone. "I'm afraid not."

"Well then," she said, pushing him down and hovering above him on her hands and knees. "I'm afraid not."

******

Two nights later, Calpernia called a meeting with Godric, Macrinus and Lucanus to discuss the plans for the Conclave, which would be taking place the next day.

"Macrinus, you will be leading the mages into the Conclave." She explained. "Samson's delays have become tiresome, and I have obtained permission to proceed without him. You are going to goad the Templars into attacking you to create a distraction for our assassin."

"Won't be too difficult," the Mage said, turning around and walking away. She turned to Godric and Lucanus.

"I will be overseeing this whole thing from a safe distance." She explained to them. "Lucanus, near the temple is an old mining complex. On the bottom floor is a tunnel outlet that I do not believe the Chantry has noticed. You will wait near the exit for Godric to emerge. Anyone comes in the area, kill them immediately."

"Yes, Lady Calpernia," said Lucanus.

"Godric, as I said, there is a tunnel leading to the temple via the mining complex." Calpernia told him. "The tunnel connects to the basement of this fort. It appears that this fort was occupied by the same people who carried Andraste's ashes out of Tevinter; the tunnel appears to have been their passageway to the temple. You are to enter the tunnel as soon as you wake up and meet Lucanus at the mining complex, where he will tell you the second part of your mission."

"Why can't you just tell me the whole thing now?" He asked.

"Because there will be unknown factors present at the Conclave that we do not know about yet," she said. "Lucanus is going to survey before meeting you. That way you don't walk into a Chantry ambush."

"I see..."

Calpernia turned to Lucanus.

"You may prepare."

"Yes, Lady Calpernia," Lucanus bowed once then left. Calpernia turned away from Godric. When she turned back, he pulled her into their usual kiss. This time, however, she pulled back from him.

"I'm insulted," he said sarcastically. Calpernia put a finger on his lips and grabbed one of his hands.

"Not here," she whispered, removing her finger and moving closer to him. "I don't want you to walk into that Conclave tomorrow and never come out without loving me one last time." She drew even closer to him, to the point where their noses were almost touching. He was sure that if he stuck his tongue out all the way, he could use it to part her lips... She repositioned her hand so that it was touching his baby maker...

"Give me a two minute head start to our quarters," she whispered to him. Her hand was now subliminally feeling around his pelvic region for an opening in his clothing. He could even taste her breath. "After that, come in... and we can give each other the time of our lives."

"If..." He tried to talk steady, but the suspense had him slurring; he felt like he had just smoked an entire tree of godweed at one time. He half expected himself to say 'fuck that shit' and rip those robes off of her body and take her right here, in front of anyone who could see it. And he suspected she could sense it, too. "If you want it..."

It was unexpected: Calpernia grabbed the back of his head and thrust themselves together in a motion of passion, each set of lips molding into the other person's. She pulled back and thrust her hand into his baby maker. He jumped, stiffening up in more than one sense.

"I don't want it, Godric," she said forcefully. She pushed her hand further and he pinned it there. Her face instantly shifted into an expression of shock when she felt him. "I need it."

Calpernia mashed her lips into his, but this time something different happened that never did before: he felt tongue. He grabbed her head and held her face to his with great force, like he was trying to forcibly merge their faces together. She pulled back, and their tongues touched.

"Start," she said. When he nodded, she kissed him again (with tongue for the second time) before turning and running towards their quarters.

Godric stood still, still stiff in every part of his body, counting for two minutes straight without missing a beat. At the end of two minutes, Godric made a run for the quarters

******

Godric awoke the next morning with a wicked grin on his face. Calpernia was right about one thing: last night, she had given him the time of his life. Hell, prior to last night, he didn't even know that half the things that they did were even possible.

Deciding to spite the Chantry by covertly intruding upon their Conclave reeking of sweat, must and wet sex, Godric proceeded to make his way to the tunnel after reading a note from Calpernia about the various exploits and his 'divine conquest' front the previous night.

Ten minutes later, Godric was standing in the tunnel that connected the fort to the temple mining complex. Judging by the landscape of the surrounding areas, Godric deduced that the tunnel ran directly underneath both Haven and the Temple before letting out on the mine's bottom floor. With the things they did last night fresh in his mind, he set off to the mine, naughtily making a mental note to try the things he was thinking about with his next woman if anything happened to Calpernia today.

It felt like Godric had been walking for hours when he got to the end of the tunnel. Judging from the curves in the passage as well as how it was starting to level out around the corner he was at, Godric estimated that the exit to the mine was around the corner. When he heard the voices, however, he stopped walking and took cover on the wall.

Around the corner and several feet away were two Qunari. One was carrying a staff, so he was obviously a Mage. The other carried a big, giant two-handed axe on his back. The Mage had a kind sounding voice, while the Warrior sounded like a monster from a horror movie.

Fuck! Godric mentally yelled at himself. Why are there fucking Qunari at the damn Conclave?!

Even though he knew he wouldn't lose, he also didn't want to fight these beasts and either risk drawing a bunch of attention to him before entering the mine or bring the whole tunnel down upon him. And he couldn't sneak past them....

Shit! He cursed himself mentally. It's times like these I wish I was a rogue and not a Mage / Warrior... thing.

Deciding that his best bet was to just walk past them like nothing was happening and hope they didn't notice him for some reason, he moved forward, off of the wall... and laid eyes on a boulder he could smash to bring them to him.

Oh, well, he thought to himself. It may be cowardly and dishonorable, but at least this new plan that he had just concocted didn't have the 'certain suicide' factor of the other two options. Fuck it, just do it and get on with the mission.

He closed his eyes and drew the lone Longsword he kept on his back into battle position... and the rock shattered more loudly than he had expected.

"What the fuck?" said the deeper-voiced Qunari. One set of approaching footsteps told him that one of the Qunari was coming. Phasing his right hand out of existence, Godric waited for the Qunari to come around the corner. When he did, Godric shoved his ethereal right hand through the Qunari's chest and solidified, killing the giant instantly.

"Holy shit!" cried a non-violent voice, and he recognized the voice of the Qunari Mage. This time, Godric phased his entire body out of existence and proceeded to approach the Qunari. He got behind the Qunari and kicked him in the rear leg, which temporarily immobilized the giant. But a moment was all he needed, and he snapped the Qunari's neck before solidifying his hand inside the Qunari's head. Seeing the exit to the mining complex, Godric removed all money from the Qunari corpses, which was about 1,000 gold, all valuables and both the Warrior's Axe and the Mage's staff. He sent their bodies to the afterlife before exiting into the mine. The room he emerged into from the tunnel, however, was completely littered with dead bodies and Lucanus was admiring them so devoutly that he didn't even notice Godric's entry.

"Oh, for shit's sake, Lucanus!" Godric said, getting the attention of Lucanus, who looked at him. "Can your crazy ass go 1 minute without killing someone?"

"Ah, Godric," Lucanus said, getting up and walking over to him. He was holding what looked like a helmet and a suit of armor. "I was afraid your... late night liaison... with Lady Calpernia would cause you not to show, least of all without having your pole hanging out. And I got bored."

"Are you jealous?" Godric questioned him. "Hold on," he added slowly, pulling his eyebrows together and examining him like a parent trying to figure out their child messed up. "You are jealous, aren't you?" After saying the sentence, he started laughing.

"Me? Jealous of you?" Lucanus said.

"Because Calpernia is letting me wade through her swamp," he said, snorting. "and not you!"

Lucanus laughed at this, looking completely entertained.

"Jealous of you over Lady Calpernia? I'm supposed to be jealous because the boss is letting you tighten her loose screws with your monkey wrench?" He laughed again, louder and a little maniacal this time. "Thanks, but I think that I'll have to pass on that one. I mean, Lady Calpernia is beautiful and all, but I really don't fancy getting my tongue stuck between a woman's two front teeth everytime I kiss her. But if you like doing the kind of shit that she was talking about doing last night, the by all means, get it til you can't get it anymore."

"How do you know we were doing anything last night?" he asked Lucanus with a laugh of his own.

"Dude, y'all were loud as shit last night. I could hear you two over the broadcast of Anakin's pod race," Lucanus said. "And I was two floors below y'all. Now, if that's possible, I'm sure people in Tevinter, as well as spirits in the fade, were able to hear it. I've never heard Lady Calpernia talk so... dirty."

"Nor will you," Godric said with a smirk, which was caught by Lucanus, who laughed.

"You never know," he said, sounding very homosexual for a minute. "She may need me to ram her when you go away."

"I seriously doubt that. I have actually seen what Calpernia does to men who act like women." Godric said, smirking again. Lucanus was not impressed this time.

"What are you saying?"

"Im saying that before the first 30 minutes of your first conversation is up, she will call you a flaming pole-licker, say you have a small screwdriver in your pants and cut your balls off with the blade of her staff," Godric said with a huge grin, breaking into a fit of laughter after finishing the sentence and seeing Lucanus' serious face.

"To the mission," Lucanus said angrily.

"Right," Godric said, rubbing his hands together. "So, give me all of the juicy details about this plan you got, Lucanus."

"This armor was taken from a dead Templar I found when I got here," Lucanus handed the armor to Godric, who examined it along with the helmet. "Now, that armor and helmet will allow you to enter the Temple grounds while attracting no attention from anyone, since the Templars are here en masse. Find out where Divine Justinia is being protected. She will likely be in the company of her agents, Leliana Amell and Cassandra Pentaghast, her Left and Right Hands, respectively. The Venatori mages are going to use lyrium to goad the Templars into attacking them and causing a riot. With you there, we are 100% sure that Justinia will send both Cassandra and Leliana to deal with the Templars, leaving you to guard Justinia alone, with no assistance from anyone. They will most likely be dealt with by a team of our people. After Cassandra and Leliana leave, noone is allowed to enter the room until the password, Vitae Benefaria, is said. The person that says the phrase, and only that person, will be allowed to enter. I will be watching from the shadows. After Divine Justinia is dead, meet me back here and we will return to the fort to brief Lady Calpernia on the outcome of our part of the mission. Did you understand all of that?"

"Yeah," Godric replied. "You ready to do this shit?"

"No point in waiting," Lucanus said. "You go ahead, I'll be coming up right behind you."

Godric had to navigate the mine to get out. And he didn't have a map so he was pissed at first but he gradually got past it. Finally, around some thirty minutes later, he was looking into the bright sunlight.

Godric slid down the mine ladders and looked at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. He remembered the very day, long ago, that the Hero of Ferelden found the Urn of Sacred Ashes. He was a soldier in service to Arl Eamon. He seen the Hero accomplish many seemingly impossible things during the battle with the Archdemon after it crashed on Fort Drakon...

Shaking his head and snapping back to reality, Godric started running to the Temple.

"Hey!" a random voice called to him. He turned and found himself standing face to face with none other than Cassandra and Leliana. "Shouldn't you be helping protect your fellow Templars?"

"No!" he said, alternating the sound of his voice so that they wouldn't figure out who he was. They were at the trial that got him exiled from Southern Thedas, after all. "I was told to go find Divine Justinia and guard the door in case the mages try to attack her!"

"Go straight down, and it's the second to last door on your right," Leliana told him. "Can't miss it."

"Okay!" Godric waved them farewell and ran off the find the room with a malicious grin under his helmet.

A minute and a half later Godric was knocking on the door described by Leliana. An elderly sounding woman bade him entry.

Entering the room, Godric seen Divine Justinia stand to greet him.

"Good afternoon, Templar," she said kindly. "Might I ask your name?"

"Riley, ma'am," Godric said the first name that came to mind. "My name is Knight-Templar Silas Riley."

"Pleased to meet you," she said, doing some kind of skirt bow thing and then sitting down. He was kind of starting to wish that the Venatori didn't have to kill her.

"I have been ordered to stand guard outside your door until my superior comes to relieve me," he said to her, putting his soldier etiquette training to use. "No one is allowed to enter this room or relieve me without my Commander telling me face to face beside them that I am relieved. Not even your Right and / or Left Hands."

It was incredibly dull work, guarding Justinia's room. He was waiting for a person, human male, presumably, to say 'Vitae Benefaria'. That person is allowed in. But no one else, regardless of who they are.

Several hours later, Godric heard a whistling that hurt like shit. He looked around and seen a middle-age man in Grey Warden armor looking at him.

"If you're waiting to have a talk with Divine Justinia, I'm afraid that you'll have to-"

His heart almost stopped beating when he the words that the man had under his breath, and then out loud.

"Vitae Benefaria."

Remembering the pass phrase, he ran to report yet another fight between Mages and Templars to the head of security while the man entered the room. He returned to his post and became still as a statue for almost 2 whole hours until he heard a cry for help.

Not realizing it was Divine Justinia being killed, he opened the door to the room she was in... only to reveal a very horrible sight.

Standing in the middle of the room was the man he allowed to pass. He was holding a golden orb outstretched, and it was glowing with some kind of green energy. Standing behind him were a dozen Grey Warden mages.

And floating in the air in front of him, seemingly bound by both Warden and Orb, was Divine Justinia.

What the hell was going on here? Calpernia had said they were going to simply kill Justinia, not sacrifice her for some weird fucking ritual.

"What's going on here?!" he yelled at the Wardens.

"Run while you can!" Justinia said, squirming. "Warn them!"

"No!" The man with the orb said, swinging his hands upwards and locking Godric inside the room with 12 crazy Grey Warden mages and a Warden Warrior that was emanating a terrible evil from his body, and also wields an orb that emanates evil magic from its very core; that makes this situation no better, if not worse. "Kill him!"

Even though Godric wasn't in a nation's military anymore, he still has the training and reflexes of a veteran soldier, and he was pleased that they were possibly better than his days in Arl Eamon's army; he was quick enough to see the mages move and each fire a spell at him. He phased out of existence in seconds to dodge them all. He jump-kicked the nearest Warden in the head, rematerializing after passing halfway through, killing her instantly before drawing his Longsword, Spellbreaker, as the remaining Wardens each fired another spell at him in tandem.

The last weapon forged by the legendary elven smith Kazaron, the elf who forged powerful weapons for the original phasers over 6,000 years ago during the time of Arlathan, Spellbreaker was crafted from pure plasma, with no other components other than the 4 outermost layers of the hilt, which were composed of the only known metal in history to be completely indestructible. As a result of these materials being used to create Spellbreaker, the blade is able to cut through any known object in the Dragon Age without gaining a single scratch, from the most visible nick to a scratch so small it is visible only the smallest level of molecules. Over the last 15 years since Godric commissioned Spellbreaker's creation, he had forged a spiritual connection with the sword, allowing him to tap into its power even further.

As the spells came his way, he slashed horizontally with Spellbreaker, splitting every spell in two. Immediately after the slash, he concentrates a portion of his life force into an energy wave that he uses to dissipate the disassembled spells. He jumped up in the air and brought the blade down upon a second Warden, cutting straight down his body from top of head to ground. And then the body separates into two pieces, separating the pieces along the slash, down the middle of the Warden body.

Using his training as a soldier in conjunction with his phaser powers, he made short work Slaying nine of the remaining ten Warden mages, until the only beings remaining in the room were Godric, Divine Justinia, a Warden Mage Godric hadn't engaged in combat and the evil, orb-wielding Warden Warrior.

"Hahahaha!" the Warden laughed hysterically. "You have skill, boy, I'll give you that much. However, it's too bad that the ritual is complete!"

"What?!" Godric yelled at the Warden in desperation, who let out another evil, maniacal laugh.

"Yes," the Warrior said. "Instead of going for the mages, you should have been battling me. After all, I am the one with the dangerous magic orb," the man put the orb in front of Divine Justinia's face, and laughed again. "Now, I shall kill the Divine, complete the ritual, and become a God!" the Warden Warrior let out yet another manical laugh.

"Not if I can help it." said Justinia.

"Excuse me?"

Justinia used her left arm to smack the orb out of the Warden's hand, sending it flying straight at Godric. Out of habit, reflex and instinct, Godric phased out of reality and rose his hand to try to alter the direction of the orb's path.

But instead of passing through his immaterial left hand, the orb latched on to it instead.

"How the fuck is–" Godric attempted to ask out loud how the orb latched onto his hand while he was in a Phase State, but was suddenly overcome with so much pain, he thought his body was going to be destroyed because of it, and started screaming so loud that he thought he could feel one of his lungs tear.

How could this happen?

He intended to ask this question next, but as he went to ask it, the orb let out an explosion of violent energy, destroying everyone in the room, along with what appeared to be the entire Temple of Sacred Ashes. But Godric was alive.

Gripping his left wrist with his right hand, Godric dropped to his knees, screaming, almost screeching, in excruciating agony at the destructive pain going through his body.

And then everything went black, and he was sure that he died.


	4. Interrogation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait I've been really busy. But I'm back now.

"Wait, I'm going to need you to explain this one more time," the priestess said. Her mentor was pacing around the room, scattering random books and throwing everything on the tables onto the floor. "You misplaced the only fucking map we have that can lead us to the last Shaman Keep!?!"

"I did not misplace it, young one," he said, calmly and softly, still scattering items into the floor. "I have not set foot in this keep since the fall of Arlathan. I am not responsible."

"So it's my fault, then??" she exclaimed in outrage. "I was in Uthenera. I couldn't keep watch on the keep in that state. And besides, the wards should've prevented anyone from being able to see this building in the first place."

"Agreed," he said. She looked at him in disgust. How could he be so calm? 

"So then how could anyone take the maps? What does this mean?" 

"The wards are not foolproof." he said, looking down at the floor and coming to a standstill. "Any skilled shaman could easily rip them apart with their own magic and phasers could use their powers to render them useless." 

"That doesn't answer my question: what does it mean?"

"Don't know," her mentor turned around and walked away from her. She sat down and put her face in her hands. She could feel the tears trying to fall, but she wasn't some soft, dithering baby. She didn't cry, but even still...

She couldn't help but wonder if he was okay. Was he even alive? It has been close to 2,000 years since she seen him, he may be long dead...

"HEY!" yelled the voice of her mentor. Startled, she jumped up and looked around. After several seconds of scanning, she found him standing by the back of the keep. "Wake up and Come over here!"

Silently, she strode across the room towards the door that lead to the archives. As she passed by her mentor, he grabbed her right arm in a vicegrip and yanked her to a stop. 

"Ow, let go of me!" she jerked her arm with full force. He let it go as she jerked and she went flying into the shelf behind her. She stood up and walked over to him.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" she snarled at her mentor. "Touch me like that one more time and I will fucking kill you, old man!"

"What happened yesterday shouldn't have happened." he growled at her. She cringed at the tone of his voice. "I specifically trained you against that sort of thing."

"What are you talking about?" she asked him. She had no idea what he was talking about now. 

"The Ancient One got to you yesterday, in the prophecy room." he said, looking into her eyes. "Have you not kept up with your training?"

"I am a bit rusty," she said. "Seeing as how I've spent close to the last 2000 years sleeping."

He grabbed her and sent her flying across the keep. When she got to her feet, he prepared a mind penetration spell. She looked both a little infuriated and a littled outraged at the same time.

"Prepare yourself, young one," her mentor crouched down. "I will train you for one week." 

He sent the spell flying at her, and the only thing she could hear were distant screams as she felt herself slip into the darkness. 

******

As Godric stood up, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. He started rubbing it, guessing that some sort of impact had given him a concussion. He looked around himself, taking in the surrounding walls of pure, impenetrable, pitch black darkness that was his new environment.

Wait... pure, impenetrable, pitch black darkness? 

"What the fuck?!?" He shouted, rampaging his feet on the ground. "What is with this 'constantly waking up in weird, unknown areas surrounded by pitch black darkness' bullshit?!?" He put his hands on his face, then lowered them and started looking around for a way to get out of this hellhole. 

Laying on the ground in front of his feet was Spellbreaker. He bent down, picking up his trusty companion and sheathing him on his back. He started walking forward, but after a minute or two, he realized that the darkness was following him. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake!!!" Godric yelled, enraged. He pulled Spellbreaker from its sheath, being careful to not touch the flame-cloaked blade as he—

Wait. Spellbreaker was not supposed to have a flame-cloaked blade. What was this?

As if trying to make the concussion that he may or may not have go away, Godric examined the blade of Spellbreaker from every angle that he could acquire. He was not hallucinating; Spellbreaker's blade was really covered in a coat of fire.

"Fuck this!" Godric yelled, jumping up in the air with Spellbreaker held over his head. As he brought the blade down with all his strength, fueled by his sudden burst of rage, his slash was somehow transformed into a stream of raging flames that created a massive explosion upon contact with the darkness. Returning to the ground, Godric takes in his real surroundings. 

He couldn't think of a name for the place he was in. It was clearly a very different dimension from Thedas; for one, the landscape was just a bunch of crazy looking rock formations. The rivers of water that flowed through the place were green, and so nasty even a newborn baby would know not to drink from it. Also, there was a floating castle in the sky... Hold on: was the sky fucking green?

"Well," Godric said, walking across a field of nothing but barren land. "I think it's safe to say I'm not in Thedas anymore."

He could feel a pull in this direction, an obligation to find something. But what was he supposed to find?

"You know what? I regret unleashing the super flamethrower slash!" Godric said, putting his hands over his face. "PUT ME BACK IN THE DAMNED DARKNESS!"

He waited, but the darkness never returned. Shit. He was going to lose his mind. He was stuck in some stupid, twisted, fucked version of a god damn wasteland with nasty, poisoned, green water and some sort of freaky, alien space castle watching him from a green sky. He decided his best bet would be to follow this pull he was feeling. So, Godric began his lonely journey, following the whim of some weird compulsion that was likely a figment of his imagination. 

******

"What happened, Leliana?" 

Leliana and Cassandra Pentaghast were standing amidst the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Apparently, a cataclysmic explosion that originated from Divine Justinia's location had destroyed the Temple. Indeed, the explosion was so powerful that half of the mountain they were on was blown into oblivion. The destroyed mountain, the Divine's death... all of this was trivial compared to the real problem.

The most dangerous side effect of the explosion would have to be the giant gaping hole in the sky that has been spitting out demons ever since its creation. And it appears to have a never ending supply of demons. At least it hasn't gotten bigger... yet. 

"Justinia is dead, Leliana," Cassandra said sadly. "Indeed, everyone is dead. We have combed the temple ruins and the valley several times in the last hour, there appears to be no survivors."

Leliana lowered her head. 

"Who could do something like this?"

******

It felt like Godric was climbing that damn rock for years. Once he got to the top, however, he found the source of the compulsion he had followed here. 

The top of the rock was like a platform. And in front of him was something he had never seen before. It seemed to be a portal of some sort. Maybe it would lead back to normal world. 

"Godric is here! Physically— AND THERE IS MY TICKET TO THE REAL WORLD!!! GET AWAY FROM THERE, BOY, OR I WILL KILL YOU!!!"

Godric spun around at the sound of the evil voice. Even though he had heard it only once before, he recognized it immediately: the Ancient One was here. 

Godric turned to the green portal. Wherever this thing led, he had to get away from that fiend that was chasing him. And this portal thing was his only way. Turning around and running toward the portal, Godric closed his eyes, plugged his nose and curled up as he passed into the portal- and felt it close behind him. 

Godric's head hurt when he regained consciousness, and so did his left hand. He looked around and seen Lucanus walking toward him. 

"So, so, so," the Mage said. "The Elder One's triumph, foiled by Godric Trevelyan. Calpernia's lover rebels against their master. Tell me, Godric, do you think Calpernia will pick you over a God?"

"God?" Godric repeated. The pain in his head had stopped, but his hand felt like it was burning. "What- what do you mean by 'God'?"

"He means the Leader of the Venatori," said a voice, one he wanted to hear. Calpernia had come. Just like he knew she would. "The True Leader. The Elder One."

"Calpernia, let's go," he said, trying to look at her, but he could only see blurs at the moment. "Something's wrong, we need to-"

"The only thing you need to do, traitor," Calpernia's was harsh and cold. "Is DIE!"

Calpernia unleashed a concentrated blast of electricity and hurled it right at Godric. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew she had used some of magic attack against him, and he was going to fall to because he couldn't see-

Use your gift! Sense it out!

Godric knew he heard a voice, but he didn't know where from. But he would listen to it. 

Godric tried to phase, but somehow, it backfired; while was still solid, he could see. However, it was his innate Aura Sight, not his eye sight, that he was using. None the less, he was able to use it as a second sight, and thanks to this, he was able to dodge Calpernia's electricity by jumping to high ground. Furious at her ignorance, enraged at her betrayal, Godric forced his eyes open to look at her. 

"How could you do this, Calpernia?!" he raged. He felt the tears coming, but he let them fall. "Why would you betray me?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!?"

"You are the one who betrayed me!" Calpernia raged back at him, firing fire at him this time. He drew Spellbreaker and used it to cut her attack. "You sabotaged the Venatori's plans!"

Leliana heard the shout. 

"USING ANOTHER PERSON FOR A RITUAL SACRIFICE IS WRONG!!!"

Leliana pulled Cassandra to her feet. 

"You hear that?" she asked Cassandra. 

"IT WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING!! AND NOW YOUVE RUINED EVERYTHING!!!"

"Survivors!" Cassandra said. Leliana nodded and the women took off toward the fight.

Calpernia used an energy barrage attack. Spellbreaker cloaked itself in fire, and Godric leapt off of the ledge and slashed at her attack. The Fire Stream engulfed the blasts and they were dissolved. Godric knew that Calpernia, his Calpernia, the Calpernia he had loved since he had been exiled from the very place he stood now, was gone. He knew the best thing for her now... was death. He would give give her that, at least. Everlasting and Neverending peace. Without him.

As Godric rose Spellbreaker over his head, Calpernia used her teleport to appear on the other side of the field. Smiling, Godric disappeared. 

"What?!" Calpernia shrieked, looking frantic. "Where'd he go?!" 

Cassandra and Leliana arrived at the battlefield. At that same moment, Godric reappeared behind Calpernia and brought Spellbreaker's blade down on her right shoulder, cutting deep into it.

Chaos ensued. The air was rent asunder by a bloodcurdling scream of pain. Godric slammed the end of Spellbreaker's hilt into the back of Calpernia's head, an action that was met by another terrible scream. As Calpernia's body fell to the ground, it disappeared. Still enraged, Godric turned to glare at Lucanus, who was looking terrified. A split second later, Godric lunged at the Mage, letting out a mighty battle roar. He brought Spellbreaker to his side and prepared to slash at Lucanus' neck. He swung, but seconds before the blade connected, Lucanus disappeared as well. Godric was caught off-balance and turned around, hanging his head. Leliana and Cassandra nodded to each other. 

"What have I done..." Godric sobbed. He threw the blade end of Spellbreaker at the ground so hard that it pierced the earth. Tears streaming down his face, Godric sank to his knees where Calpernia's body had fell to the ground, now breaking down completely. "I... Killed Calpernia. I killed her! I KILLED HER, WHAT HAVE I DONE– AHHHH!!!!"

As Leliana and Cassandra were about to place Godric under arrest, something happened to his hand. A gash appeared in his palm, and green energy flooded from it. He let a scream that sounded very similar to Calpernia when he sank his plasma blade into her shoulder, and his green-marked hand was jerked upward by the hole in the sky. 

Which had gotten bigger.

****** 

Godric opened his eyes. He attempted to rub his head, but he was in chains. 

"Oh, fuck me!" he said. "Waking up like this starting to get really old! FUCK!"

As he finished his sentence, the door opened and a black haired lady came walking in. He recognized her as soon as she stepped into the light: it was Cassandra Pentaghast, Right Hand to Divine Justinia. She had also been present when the Chantry exiled him from the South. There was a huge man with her, big enough to be a hornless Qunari, and Godric instantly knew from his appearance that this man was a professional torturer as well as a really effective and efficient killer. 

Cassandra didn't speak to him as she paced circles around him. After about 5 minutes, she stopped walking directly in front of him.

"Who are you?" she asked. 

"Godric Trevelyan," he said. She looked at the giant man and flicked her head towards him. "I came to the the conclave to make su— AAAAHHHH!" 

As he was talking, the giant man walked over to him and stabbed a dagger into the right side of his chest. He walked back to where he was standing without uttering a single word. 

"So," Godric tried to pace his breathing. "If you would kindly remove this dagger from my chest and tell me why the FUCK he stabbed me, I would appreciate it very, very much, Cassandra."

"I'm going to ask you again," Cassandra said. "Who are you?" 

"I told you, I'm Godric Trevelyan, I—" he tried to tell her, but the giant man walked over and sucker punched him in the jaw several times. "You're weak and you hit like a pussy. My unborn children hit harder than you."

The giant man looked at him for several seconds before kicking him and the face and knocking him backwards. He walked back to the wall again, silently as the last time. When he managed to pull himself up 

"Last chance," she said. He looked into his eyes and she was cold, no emotion. "Who the hell are you?" 

He looked down at the ground for several seconds before Looking back to Cassandra's eyes. 

"You want to know?" he asked, lowering his voice. She leaned in close to him. 

"Yes." 

"You'll have to come closer," he said. "It's a secret." 

When Cassandra leaned in, he moved swiftly, a precise and calculated move. He thrust their lips together, sliding his tongue inside her mouth. For a second, it seemed as though she was kissing him back, and he could have swore he could taste her tongue in his mouth before she wrenched herself off of him. 

Cassandra stood up and looked at the giant man. 

"Bring in the shocker." she said. The man nodded his head and exited the room. They sat in silence for around 10 minutes before the door opened again and the man walked over to him with a bucket and a black, pole like object. 

"The shocker is a new means of interrogation invented by the Fereldans." She explained. "We are going to drench this cloth with water and place it on your chest. This will soak the chest area of your shirt with water, and it will slowly seep down onto your chest." 

Godric looked at the man, who was walking towards him with a soaking wet rag. He kicked Godric in the face and started rubbing his chest with the wet rag. He could already feel his chest getting wet. The man placed the cloth on his chest and grabbed the bucket. He walked over to Godric and put the cloth in his mouth and started pouring the water over his face. He couldn't breath, he was going to die... 

And then it stopped. The man splashed the rest of the water on his chest and held up the black object he was holding.

"That is conductor," Cassandra said. The man pulled off the cap and clicked a button on the handle. He saw the flat end charge with electricity. "When he touches you with it, violent shock waves will course through your body, centered on the wet area. In other words, your chest," she smirked at him. "Let's see how long it will take you to break." 

Godric looked at the man. He was smiling, inching closer to him and fiddling with the object.

"I'm going to fucking kill you."

The man jabbed him with the object and he was suddenly in unbearable pain. It felt like lightning bolts were surging through his body and he was convulsing uncontrollably. He wasn't sure how long it lasted...

"Hey, shithead," called a woman's voice. "Stop this fuckery now or I will kill you myself." 

And then it stopped. The lightning was gone and he was gasping for breath. He could hear Cassandra arguing with a new arrival, but he neither knew nor cared who it was. 

"Leliana, you have no right to interfere—" Cassandra said. 

"You have no right to murder people for information!" Said the woman who saved his life. 

"As if you're any better!"

"I don't claim to be!"

"And neither do I!"

The room was silent for about a minute after this exchange. When he composed himself and looked at Cassandra, he seen Leliana standing in front of her. Cassandra caught notice of his restored composure and stormed over to him.

Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now!" she yelled. "You were exiled from Southern Thedas, forever. Now, you return on the day of Most Holy's conclave to end the Mage-Templar war. Not only that, but you, myself, Leliana and those friends of yours are the only people who were to attend that survived. Give me a reason I shouldn't cut your head off here and now!!" 

"You want a reason?" Godric asked her. Cassandra nodded, but otherwise remained silent. "Well, then... go to hell." 

Cassandra looked at him before she pulled out her sword and ran it in his chest. He let out a scream of pure, unadulterated agony. 

"That's enough, Cassandra!" Leliana yelled, pushing Cassandra off of him. 

"Don't get in my way, Leliana," Cassandra snarled. "This is your only warning." 

"You're done here, Cassandra," Leliana said coldly. "Take a walk." 

For a few seconds, Cassandra looked as if she was going to argue, but in the end decided not to. She grabbed her sword and twisted it, grinding it around his chest. She then pulled it out and walked away. He opened his eyes and seen Leliana looking into his face, as if scanning his eyes. 

"Sorry about that," Leliana said. "She doesn't get out much." 

"Yeah," he said, gasping for breath. "I kind of noticed that."

Leliana was silent for a few seconds before she started talking again. 

"We need your help," she said. "Can you answer some questions for me?" 

"Yeah, if I have an answer I'll give it to you." he said, squirming and trying to shake the residual pain left over from that electrocution. 

"Okay, first: who were those people you were fighting with?" Leliana asked him.

"They were..." He paused to avoid breaking down. "Old associates. They're part of a group called the Venatori. I was the second in command of the whole group."

"Oh, so you're a general? I bet you'd be a nice ransom." Cassandra interjected. 

"Ransom?" Godric said, snorting. "After that bullshit at the Temple Ruins? You think you can ransom me back to the Venatori?" 

"Yes," Cassandra said. "Leliana could Plant a few agents in their ranks and we would learn more from them than you could probably ever tell us." 

"Ok, sweetheart, here's how that would go: you or some of your people actually are successful in getting the Venatori to pay a ransom for my head," Godric said. "At the start of the deals, they kill me. And as soon as that money changes hands, a whole legion of their mages will tear across the ransom meet location, kill anyone in the vicinity and take the money back. Trust me, I trained many of these men and women for situations just like this. I know these guys work." 

"Okay," Leliana said. "Why were you at the Conclave in the first place?" 

"The Venatori were interested," Godric replied. "But even as second-in-command, I didn't know all the details. I was to get in, locate Justinia and guard her door. Only 1 person was to be allowed entry, and he would greet me by saying the phrase Vitae Benefaria. After he entered, my job was to allow no one else entry, regardless of who they were, and wait for further instructions." 

"The Venatori you were fighting seemed to think you betrayed them," Leliana pointed out. "Why would they think that?"

"While I was guarding the door, I heard... screaming. It was the Divine. She was... bound... by some kind of magic. The man I allowed entry was apparently going to... sacrifice her... as part of some kind of ritual." 

"I see," Leliana said coldly. "What happened next?" 

"I told them that I wouldn't allow it," Godric said. "I fought 12 mages. Before the Divine smacked the orb from the leader's hand I was able to kill 10 of them without any real difficulty. Then... The divine, she... Smacked the orb at me. Usually, I cannot be touched physically when I phase out of existence, so I... Phased. But when I tried to alter the orb's path, it... latched onto my nonexistent hand. That caused the explosion that killed... everyone."

"How did you survive?"

"I'm not sure," Godric said. "After the explosion, I woke in a different dimension. I escaped from the... a demon and fell out of the sky. That's when the Venatori attacked me and you two showed up. I'm sorry." 

"Thank you," Leliana said, her voice void of all emotion. "I will put in a good word with whoever judges you as a reward for your cooperation."

As Leliana turned to leave, Godric called out to her.

"Wait!" he pleaded. Leliana turned to look at him. "Understand this: I may be vicious. I may be a savage. But I am no murderer. Nobody told me about any rituals or sacrifices. If they had, I wouldn't have helped them. And because of foolishness and stupidity, the woman I once loved is dead. By my own hands. And if she's not dead... well, after I struck her down like that at the ruins..." Godric couldn't hold the tears back any longer, so he just let them fall. "Now she'll never forgive me... I just... wish there was a way to make this right..."

"If we allow you to stay with us, will you pose a danger?" Leliana asked him after a few seconds.

"Hardly."

Leliana stood in silence for several seconds, not talking, before turning to look at Cassandra.

"Cassandra, do you still have his weapon?" 

"Yes," Cassandra said slowly. "Why?"

"Give it to him." 

"Excuse me?" Cassandra said, looking appalled. 

Leliana looked at Cassandra.

"You heard me. Give him his weapon." Leliana started to walk out of the dungeon. "He wants to make this right? Escort him to the breach... where he will use that mark on his hand in an attempt to seal it."


End file.
